Automatic hose reel



April 8 1924, Y EASQ@ A. DOWRELIO AUTOMATIC HOSE REEL Filed sept. 2e. 1922' 2 sheets-sheet 1 ANTONE DOWPEL IO.

April 8, 1924.

A. DOWRELIO AUTOMATIC vHOSE REEL 2 Shee'Ls-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 26 1922 Airb@ *sa Patented Apr. E924.

F F I ANTONE DOWRELIO, 0F CROCKETT, CALIFORNIA.-

A'UTOMATIC HOSE REEL.

Auplication tiled September 26, 1922. Serial No. 580,722.

. reel.

lt is the principal object of the present invention to provide a simple and efficient hose reel which will automatically operate to wind up a hose and from which the hose may be easily unwound, by manual effort, when desired.

The invention contemplates the use of a' frame supporting a, hose winding drum from which the hose may be unreeled when desired by exerting a pull on the hose; an automatically operatingn mechanism is connected with the drum and upon the release of the hose b-y the user, will rotate the drum to wind up the hose.

One form which the inventionmay assume is exemplified in the following description and illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in vertical section disclosing the preferred embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the same partly in section.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view in section of the two-way valve mechanism.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 10 indicates a frame or base formed with a foot flange 11 and an upper flange 12. Supported by the latter is a casing 14 which encloses a drum 15. This drum is keyed on a hollow shaft 16 which is journalled in standards 17 formed as a continuation of the base 10.

A pipe 18 is connected at one end to the drum shaft 16 and extends radially and conneet-s to one end of a hose 19 wound on the rim of the drum 15. The shaft 16 is connected to a source of fluid supply by a pipe 20' connected'to the end of the shaft by a slip connection 21. In this manner fluid under pressure may be delivered to the hose, the free end of which is provided with a discharge valve 22.

Situated in the base 10 is a vertically disposed fluid cylinder 23 which is provided with a. piston 24. This piston. is connected with an upwardly extending piston rod 25 which extends through a packing; gland 26 in the top of the cylinder and is rigidly secured to a rack bar 27. This rack bar is in` mesh with a pinion 28 keyed on a shaft 29. Also secured on this shaft is a gear 30 which is in mesh with a pinion 31 fixed on the hollow drum shaft 16. It is intended that one complete downward stroke of the piston will be sufficient to reel up the complete length of the hose on thedrum.

The upper end of the cylinder is connecte-d by a pipe 32 to a source of fluid under pressure. interposed between this pipe and a fluid passageway 33 formed in the cylinder, is a controlling valve 34 which consists of a housing 35 and a rotatable valve member 36. Reference being had to Fig. 3, it is seen that the valve member 36 is formed with an opening 37, which is enlarged at one end. lt is intended that this opening will serve as a means of communication between the interior of the cylinder and atmosphere or between the interior of the pipe 32 and the cylinder. The position of the valve as shown in Fig. 3 is such as to provide communication between the pipe 32 and the cylinder to admit fluid under pressure to the same and maintain the piston in its lowermost position. When the piston is in this position the hose is fully wound on the drum 15. -`However, should the valve be turned to assume the dotted position shown in Fig. 3 the air supply will be shut off and communication established between the passageway 33 and the opening 38, thus relieving the pressure in the cylinder.

The valve member 36 is operated by means of a' lever 39. Connected to'this lever is a controlling rod 40 which is journalled in bearings 41 and 42, and is provided with a l collar 43. A compression spring 44a is arranged about the rod between the collar 43 and the bearing 41 and tends to maintain the rod in a position which will maintain communication between the fluid delivery pipe 32 and the cylinder.

The rod 40 is provided at its uppermost end with a forked fitting 44 which rotatably supports a sheave 45. The free end of the hose is positioned between the sheave kand the fitting. The hose is provided at its free end with a stop lug 46 of a size which will not pass between the sheave and the forked fitting 44. This'lug is formed with a cam face to engage a cam surface 52 formed on the frame 10. IVhen the lug engages the cam surface mentioned, the sheave and rod 40 are moved a distance upward. This movement shifts the valve 36 to a neutral position or one entirely closing the opening 33 in the cylinder as shown in Fig. 1. The stop lug 46 also serves to prevent the end of the hose from being drawn into the casing 14.

A second stop lug 47 is provided adjacent the end of the hose connected to the pipe 18. This lug is so positioned that it prevents the hose from being unreeled from the drum to an extent that would rupture the connection between the hose and the pipe 18.

In actual operation, if it is desired to supply fiuid from the hose to a point a short distance from the hose reel, a pull is exerted on the free end of the hose. This pull causes the sheave 45 and the rod 40 to shift to the dotted position shown in Fig. 1 at 45".4 This shifting movement actuates thel valve 36 to shut off the air supply to the cylinder and establish communication between the interior of the cylinder and atmosphere to permit the piston to be drawn upwardly. Itis obvious that a continued pull on the hose would rotate the drum and unreel the hose.

Immediately the hose is released by the user and becomes slack; the spring 44 then returns thesheave 45 and the rod 40 to their lowermost positions. This movement causes the valve to establish communication between the supply pipe 18 and the cylinder. T he fluid under pressure entering the cylinder forces the piston downwardly. At the bottom of the cylinder .23 an escape valve 50 is provided. The seat of this valve is grooved so as to prevent the valve member from entirely closing the inlet opening. Upon the upward stroke ot the piston in the cylinder, the valve member will open to admit air into the cylinder to prevent the piston from creating a vacuum therein. IVhen the piston is on the downward stroke, the grooves in the valve seat will permit the air in the cylinder to slowly escape, therein1 cushioning the downward movement of the piston. The movement of the piston rod is impartedto the rack bar which rotates the gears to revolve the drum for winding up the hose as described.

When the stop lug 46 engages the cam surface 51 on the frame, the sheave and the rod 40 are shifted upwardly a slight distance, which is sufficient to operate the valve and shut otf communication between the interior of the cylinder and the pipe 28. However, the distance the valve is turned is not enough to establish communication between the cylinder and the atmosphere, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

From the foregoing it is obvious that a simple and ellicient device has been provided which is particularly adapted for use in automobile service stations for dispensing fuel, air or water to automobiles. However, the device by slight modifications may be adapted for use in parks or grounds of residents for lwatering purposes.

While I have shown the preferred form of my invention as now known to me, it is understood that various changes in the construction, combination and arrangcment'of the parts may be made without departin from the spirit ot the invention as claime Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A hose reel comprising a frame, a. drum rotatably supported thereon, a hose Wound around said drum, a driving mechanism operatively connected to said drum for rotating the same in a direction tending to wind said hose on the drum, and means operated by the hose when a pull is exerted thereon adapted to render said driving mechanism inoperative whereby the hose may be unreeled from the drum.

2. An automatic hose reel comprising a. frame, a drum rotatably supported thereby, hose wound about said drum, automatically operating means tending to maintain said hose wound on said drum, and an operative connection between said hose and Said means whereby a pull exerted on said hose will render said means inoperative.

3. An automatic hose reel comprising a frame, adrum rotatably supported thereby, hose woundfabout said drum, automatically operating means tending to maintain said hose completely wound on said drum, means limiting the winding up of and the unwinding of said hose, and means whereby a pull exerted on said hose will render the first named means inoperative.

4. An automatic hose reel comprising a frame, a drinn, a shaft journalled in said frame and supporting said drum, hose wound on said drum, fluid actuated means tending to maintain said hose completely wound on said drum, and means connected to said hose andfl the fluid actuated means whereby a pull exerted on said hose will render said means inoperative, said fluid actuated means adapted to rewind the hose on the drum immediately said pull is released.

5. A hose reel comprising a frame, a drum rotatably supported thereon, hose wound on said drum, driving mechanism operatively connected to said drum for driving the same in a direction tending to wind said hose on the drum, means operated by the hose when a pull is exerted thereon adapted to render the driving mechanism inoperative and thereby permit the hose to be unreeled from Aso the drum,l said driving mechanism being adapted to automatically operate when said hose becomes slack or is released by the user.

6. A hose reel comprising a frame, a drum supported thereby, hose wound on said drum,

a fluid cylinder having a piston therein, an operative connection between said piston and said drum, means controlling the admittance of fluid to, and discharge of fluid from said cylinder, an operative connection between said means and said hose whereby a pull exerted on said hose will actuate said means and permitthe drum to be rotated to unreel the hose, said means upon the release of said hose adapted to automatically operate to admit fluid into the cylinder and actuate the piston to reel up the hose.

'i'. A hose reel comprising a frame, a drum supported thereby, hose wound on said drum, a fluid cylinder having a piston therein,.an operative connection between said piston and said drum, means controlling the admittance 'of fluid to, and discharge of' fluid from said cylinder, an operative 'connection between said means and said hose whereby a pull exerted on said hose will actuate said means and permit the drum to be rotated to unreel the hose, said means upon the release of said hose adapted to automatically operate to admit fluid into the cylinder and actuate the piston .to reel up the hose, and means for llimiting the unreeling and'reeling up of the ose.

8. A hose reel comprising a frame, a drum rotatably supported thereby, hose wound on said drum, a fluid cylinder having a piston therein, an operative connection between said cylinder and said drum, a valve mechanism controlling the admittance of fluid to, and the discharge of fluid from said cylinder, an operative connection between the hose and said valve whereby the valve may be actuated by a pull on the hose to dischargethe fluid from the cylinder and permit the hose to be unreeled and so remain as long as it is held taut, said valve automatically operating to admit fluid into the cylinder to actuate the piston and rotate the drum to reel up the hose immediately the latter is released by the user.

9. A hose reel comprising a frame, a drum rotatably supported thereby, hose wound on said drum, a fluidcylinder having a piston therein, au operative connection between said cylinder and said drum, a valve mechanism controlling the admittance of fluid to, and the discharge of fluid from said cylinder, an operative connection between the hose and said valve whereby the valve may be actuated 1 from the cylinder and permit the hose to be by a pull on the hose to discharge the fluid unreeled and so remain as long as it is held Ataut, said valve automatically operating to admit fluid into the cylinder to actuate the piston and rotate the drum to reel up the hose immediately the latter is released by the user, and means for limiting the unreeling cylinder, a piston therein, a piston rod for said piston, an operative connection between said rod and said drum whereby reciprocation of the rod will rotate the drum, a valve controlling the admittance of fluid to, and Y the discharge of fluid from the upper end of the cylinder, an operative connection between the said valve and the hose whereby the valve maybe actuated by a pull exerted on the hose to discharge the air from the upper end of the cylinder to permit the piston to rise, and the hose to be unwound from the drum, said connection being under spring tension whereby the release of the hose will cause said valve to admit fluid to the-cylindeidand force said piston downwardly and thereby rotate the drum in the opposite direction and reel up' the hose.

"11. In combination, a frame, a shaft journalled in said frame, a druln secured on said shaft, a hose woundlabout said drum, a fluid cylinder, aA piston therein,a pistou rod for said piston, an operative connection between said rod and said drum whereby reciprocation of the rod willrotate the druln, a valve controlling the admittance of fluid to, and the discharge of fluid from the upper end of the cylinder, an escape valve'at the bottom of the cylinder adapted to permit air to be drawn into the cylinder on the upward stroke of the piston and to permit air to slowlyy escape from the cylinder on the downward stroke of the piston, an operative connection between the first named valve and the hose whereby the valve may be actuated by a pull exerted on the hose to discharge the air fromA the upper end of the cylinder to permit the piston to rise and the hose to be unwound from the drum, said connection being under spring tension whereby the release of the hose will cause said valve to admit fluid to the 'drum andwhen the hose becomes slack or is released by the user the driving mechanism will becaused to operate to wind up said hose on-the drum.

13: A hose reel comprising a frame7 a drum rotatably supported'thereby, driving mechanism for rotating said drum, controlling means controlling the operation of said will be caused to operate to wind up said hose on the drum, and means `for automatically operating said controlling means to discontinue operation of said mechanism when the hose has been fully wound on the drum.

14. An automatic hose reel comprising a frame, a drum rotatably supported thereby, a hose reeled on said drum, a driving mechanism carried bythe frame and operatively connectedto said drum for driving the same in a direction tending to wind said hose on the drum, a controlling mechanism for said driving mechanism, a connection between said controlling mechanism and said hose 'whereby a pull exerted on the hose will canse thecontrolling mechanism to render said driving mechanism inoperative whereby to Maase@ permit the hose to be unreeled, said controlling mechanism being adapted to automatically operate when the unreeled hose becomes slack to cause said driving mechanism to rotate the drum and thereby reel up the hose.

15. An automatic hose reel comprising a frame, a drum rotatably supported thereby, a hose reeled on said drum, a driving mechanism carried by the frame and operatively connected to said drum for driving the same in a direction tending to wind said hose on the drum, a controlling mechanism for said driving mechanism, a connection between said controlling mechanism and said hose whereby a .pull exerted on the hose will cause the controlling mechanism to render said driving mechanism inoperative whereby to permit the hose to be nnreeled, said controlling mechanism being adapted to automatically operate When the unreeled hose becomes slack to cause said driving mechanism to rotate the drum andthereby reel up the hose, and means at the end of the hose adapted to actnate said controlling mechanism to render said driving mechanism inoperative when the hose has been fully reeled on the drum.

ANTONE DoWRELIo. 

